NEW DELHI: India’s growing concerns regarding the tightening of energy trade, access to markets, and the reliability of supply chains were prominently addressed by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during the East Asia Summit held in Malaysia. His remarks came against the backdrop of trade tensions and sanctions impacting global economic flows.
Representing India at key ASEAN Summit meetings in Kuala Lumpur, Jaishankar underscored the international community’s need to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and to intensify efforts in resolving ongoing conflicts, such as those in Gaza and Ukraine. He noted that these conflicts have significantly jeopardized food security and disrupted energy supplies worldwide.
“Energy trade is increasingly constricted, with resulting market distortions. Principles are applied selectively and what is preached is not necessarily practiced,” Jaishankar stated, alluding to trade measures and sanctions that have affected energy commerce, particularly India’s trade with Russia.
He further elaborated on the rising apprehension concerning the dependability of supply chains and market access. “Technology advancement has become very competitive, the quest for natural resources even more so,” he observed, without directly pinpointing specific countries’ trade policies.
Concerns have also been raised recently about restrictions imposed by China on critical exports like rare earth minerals and heavy machinery.
The article mentions that US President Donald Trump had previously imposed tariffs on India, and subsequent sanctions on major Russian oil companies have impacted energy supplies to India. India has consistently maintained that its energy procurement decisions are driven by market conditions and aimed at protecting consumer interests in a fluctuating global environment.
Jaishankar expressed optimism that these global shifts would elicit appropriate responses and foster new opportunities for resilient solutions. “At the end of the day, the realities of technology, of competitiveness, of market size, digitisation, connectivity, of talent and of mobility cannot be ignored. Multipolarity is not just here to stay but to grow,” he asserted.
Addressing the issue of terrorism, Jaishankar characterized it as a “continuous and corrosive threat” and stressed the need for unwavering global resolve. “Our right of defence against terrorism can never be compromised,” he added.
Highlighting the broader impact of global conflicts, Jaishankar stated, “India, therefore, welcomes the Gaza peace plan. We also seek an early end to the conflict in Ukraine.”
Beyond the ASEAN-India Summit, Jaishankar’s participation in the East Asia Summit—which includes major dialogue partners like Australia, China, Japan, and the US—signifies India’s commitment to regional stability and prosperity. India aims to bolster maritime cooperation in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and international maritime law.
Additionally, Jaishankar touched upon the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway project’s progress but also raised concerns about “cyber scam centres” in the region that have targeted Indian nationals, leading to their entrapment.